Land Rover has unveiled the iconic Defender SUV in its newest form, reminiscent of the old model married to new technology at ongoing 2019 Frankfurt show
The iconic Land Rover Defender that defined the off-roading image of the British brand has been reintroduced at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. The SUV made its global appearance after months of teasing and testing and has reborn as a global product, bringing forward the Land Rover’s SUV DNA forward.
The Land Rover Defender prices will start at $50,000, which translates to Rs 35 Lakh (Excluding taxes and duties). The New Land Rover Defender will be offered in a five-door Defender 110 variant while the compact three-door Defender 90 will go on sale later. Both the models were on display at 2019 Frankfurt show.
Speaking of the design first, the new Defender model takes its cues from the MkIII model, with an added touch of modern Land Rover features. The short front and rear overhangs, the squared-off wheel arches and upright stance has been borrowed from the old models, while the rakish windscreen adds to the sporty touch. One can also avail folding fabric roof that allows second-row passengers to stand up to a roof-mounted tent, a side ladder and side window carriers.
The Defender is an out an out off-roader and the numbers say it all – 291mm of ground clearance, 38-degree approach angle and 40-degree departure angle, 900mm maximum wading depth, 900kg maximum payload, 300kg roof load and up to 3,500kg towing capability.
Inside the cabin is the visible rivets and panel joints that add to the charm. The modern bits, on the other hand, includes a 10.0-inch Land Rover’s next-generation infotainment system, called Pivi Pro, dash-mounted gear shifter and multitude of electronics that make the Defender its best off-roader till date.
Also, the high mounted gear lever means there’s an option for the central ‘jump’ seat as seen in the earliest Land-Rovers, meaning the Defender 110 can opt with a five-, six- or five-plus-two-seater seating options. The boot space is rated at 1,075 litres, making the seven-seat Discovery feel smaller. The Defender 90, on the other hand, can seat up to six people.
The Land Rover Defender made its name conquering some of the toughest terrains without electronics, and now with heavy use of technology, Land Rover says, this will be their best off-roader till date. There’s a permanent four-wheel drive, the choice of independent air or coil spring suspension, a twin-speed transmission, locking centre differential and active rear locking differential.
There’s also a Configurable Terrain Response, three levels of throttle and gearbox sensitivity aimed at boosting driver control, ClearSight Ground View (displaying the area under the bonnet and ahead of the front wheels on a central touchscreen), Hill Launch Assist and Enhanced Hill Hold.
As far as the mechanicals go, the Land Rover Defender is initially being launched in a four-cylinder and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol engines are the four-cylinder P300 developing 300hp and hits 0-100kph in 8.1sec and the P400 six-cylinder unit using the mild-hybrid technology to deliver 400hp and does the 0-100kph in 6.4sec.
The diesel engines use the four-cylinder motors and both deliver 430 Nm torque. While the D200 produces 200hp and covers 0-100kph in 10.3sec, the D240 has 240hp and does 0-100 kmph in 9.1sec. The company has committed to sell a plug-in hybrid variant from 2020 and reports say it will be called the P400e.
The Defender sits on Land Rover’s D7x platform, where ‘x’ standing for ‘extreme’. It is the stiffest body structure Land Rover has produced and is a reworked version of the firm’s existing modular architecture. However, the company says it is 95 percent new. The structure is mostly made of aluminium and has been designed to run on hybrid powertrains.
The Land Rover Defender will enter India as early as late 2020 with a possible display at the 2020 Auto Expo. Given the aggressive pricing, it will be the brand’s entry-level SUV and will be offered in a five-door 110 version, with the choice of petrol and diesel engines.
